Crowd thread digest
What the crowd said: easy plants without CO₂
What are some easy plants to grow with no CO₂?
Thread quality (estimated)
0 to 100. Qualitative, not a verdict on who was “right.”
Long plant lists, nested replies, and side debates kept the thread active.
Spats over “liquid CO₂,” whether fish waste alone feeds plants, substrate depth, and a few strong outliers vs. mainstream advice.
The same easy names and ideas kept reappearing, especially rhizome plants and low-tech lighting notes.
How we scored it: Qualitative estimates. Same rubric as other thread digests.
Recommendations rolled into four bands
Java fern, Anubias & moss
Glue or tie. Don’t bury the rhizome; moss on hardscape. 40%
Glue or tie. Don’t bury the rhizome; moss on hardscape. 40%
40%
Crypts, swords & rooted stems
Cryptocoryne, Amazon sword, vals, sag, bacopa, rotala, ludwigia in actual substrate 35%
Cryptocoryne, Amazon sword, vals, sag, bacopa, rotala, ludwigia in actual substrate 35%
35%
Floaters & fast growers
Water sprite (often floated), hornwort, wisteria, guppy grass, duckweed-type floaters 15%
Water sprite (often floated), hornwort, wisteria, guppy grass, duckweed-type floaters 15%
15%
Mostly setup or controversy
Substrate depth, “liquid CO₂” naming, dirt tanks, mulm-only, little or no plant list 10%
Substrate depth, “liquid CO₂” naming, dirt tanks, mulm-only, little or no plant list 10%
10%
Where it got argumentative
- “Liquid CO₂” products: one camp treated them like easy carbon; another corrected that they are not gaseous CO₂ and debated what they actually do.
- Fertilizer vs fish waste: some said root tabs and liquid ferts are part of low-tech success; one argued livestock mulm is enough for “almost all” plants.
- Substrate depth: warnings that rooted plants need more depth vs reassurance that sand can work if built up or fed.
- Pessimism vs optimism: blunt “nothing will grow in that” vs many success stories with light and nutrients.
Practical takeaway
- For what “liquid carbon” products actually are, read our CO₂ additive guide. Don’t confuse bottles with a gas system.
- Start from structured advice in beginner plants and healthy plants, then use threads for ideas, not as your only source.
- Track dosing and growth notes in App-aquatic if you’re experimenting.
Note: Verify species before you buy; common names in threads are often sloppy. This summarizes conversation, not taxonomy.
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